UiTM faculty provides free meals to encourage group studies

Varsity students nationwide are reportedly feeling the pinch due to rising cost of living.

But in one faculty in Universiti Teknologi Mara's (UiTM) Shah Alam campus, students have not had to worry about going hungry for years, the university claims.

That's because students at the electrical engineering faculty are provided with free meals in the morning and at night.

"We do this to encourage them to study in groups," said the faculty's dean, Professor Mohd Nasir Taib.

"UiTM's zakat fund contributes thousands for us to run this programme, and students chip in through a fund of their own too," he added.

Nasir hoped that the faculty's students who can't afford meals, won't be too shy to take advantage of this opportunity.

UiTM acting vice-chancellor Professor Abdul Rahman Omar said all of the university's students should also not shy away from sharing their troubles with their student council representatives.

"The students can ask for help from the student council. The student affairs department would not let our students struggle," Rahman said.

He added besides aid, UiTM also offers small jobs for students, such as helping lecturers to conduct lab sessions and help students with their finances.

"It doesn't pay thousands but it is enough to help them survive," Rahman said.

They were speaking at a press conference at UiTM Shah Alam today.

Last week a survey by the Muslim Volunteer Malaysia Association (MVM) found that three out of four students in public universities in the country have admitted to being in situations where they were so broke they could not afford to eat.

This has spurred numerous food programmes aimed at aiding needy students, including food coupons and pay it forward programmes. -Mkini